Scrum Values

In 2001, 17 individuals gathered in the Wasatch mountains of Utah to find common ground around Agile. After much skiing, talking, relaxing, and eating, they arrived at four common values that led to the development of the Agile Manifesto.

Common Values from the Agile Manifesto

Scrum is an Agile framework and, as such, is consistent with the values of the Agile Manifesto.

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Scrum is a team-based approach to delivering value to the business. Team members work together to achieve a shared business goal. The Scrum framework promotes effective interaction between team members so the team delivers value to the business.

Once the team gets a business goal, it:

Figures out how to do the work

Does the work

Identifies what's getting in its way

Takes responsibility to resolve all the difficulties within its scope

Works with other parts of the organization to resolve concerns outside their control

This focus on team responsibility in Scrum is critical.

Working software over comprehensive documentation
Scrum requires a working, finished product increment as the primary result of every sprint. Whatever activities take place during the sprint, the focus is on the creation of the product increment. A Scrum team’s goal is to produce a product increment every sprint. The increment may not yet include enough functionality for the business to decide to ship it, but the team’s job is to ensure the functionality present is of shippable quality.

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Scrum is a framework designed to promote and facilitate collaboration. Team members collaborate with each other to find the best way to build and deliver the software, or other deliverables, to the business. The team, especially the product owner, collaborates with stakeholders to inspect and adapt the product vision so the product will be as valuable as possible.

Responding to change over following a plan
Scrum teams make frequent plans. For starters, they plan the current sprint. In addition, many teams create longer-term plans, such as release plans and product roadmaps. These plans help the team and the business make decisions. However, the team’s goal is not to blindly follow the plan; the goal is to create value and embrace change. In essence, the thought process and ideas necessary for planning are more important than the plan itself.

A plan created early is based on less information than will be available in the future so, naturally, it may not be the best plan. As new information is discovered, the team updates the product backlog. That means the direction of the product likely shifts. This continuous planning improves the team’s chances of success as it incorporates new knowledge into the experience.

Scrum teams constantly respond to change so that the best possible outcome can be achieved. Scrum can be described as a framework of feedback loops, allowing the team to constantly inspect and adapt so the product delivers maximum value.

Scrum Values

All work performed in Scrum needs a set of values as the foundation for the team's processes and interactions. And by embracing these five values, the team makes them even more instrumental to its health and success.

Focus

Because we focus on only a few things at a time, we work well together and produce excellent work. We deliver valuable items sooner.

Courage

Because we work as a team, we feel supported and have more resources at our disposal. This gives us the courage to undertake greater challenges.

Openness

As we work together, we express how we're doing, what's in our way, and our concerns so they can be addressed.

Commitment

Because we have great control over our own destiny, we are more committed to success.

Respect

As we work together, sharing successes and failures, we come to respect each other and to help each other become worthy of respect.

As an organization applies Scrum it discovers its benefits. At the same time, it sees how these values inherently contribute to the success of Scrum and understands why they are both needed, and bolstered, by Scrum.